DEMARCHE: SUPPORTING EXPANSION OF THE AFGHAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 125172 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2018 TAGS: AF MARR MOPS NATO PREL SUBJECT: DEMARCHE: SUPPORTING EXPANSION OF THE AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY AT THE NATO FOREIGN MINISTERIAL Classified By: EUR A/S Daniel Fried for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) This is an action telegram, please see para 3. ¶2. (C) BACKGROUND: NATO Foreign Ministers will meet in Brussels December 2-3 to discuss the key issues facing the Alliance in 2009. Foremost among those issues will be our mission in Afghanistan. A key priority in that context will be support for the Afghan National Army (ANA). Ensuring that the Afghans ultimately are able to take on the responsibility for their own national security is a requirement for success over the long-term. In September, the international Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board approved expanding the ANA from 86,000 to 134,000 troops. Afghanistan clearly will not be able to train, equip, mentor, and finance an expanded ANA on its own and will require significant assistance from the international community for some time. To this end, throughout the fall we have been soliciting Allies and Partners to contribute to the sustainment of the growing ANA. On a parallel track, we have also worked with Allies at NATO to ensure a financial mechanism for managing and disbursing donated fund s and have proposed broadening the mandate of an existing NATO ANA Trust Fund to which both NATO and non-NATO nations could contribute. At the upcoming NATO Ministerial we are seeking final endorsement of broadening the mandate of the NATO Trust Fund as well as Allied consideration of financial contributions to the Trust Fund. Our intent in this demarche request is to press a core group of Allies whose support of the Trust Fund is important and who are in a position to make useful contributions to the Trust Fund. ¶3. (SBU) Given the high priority that the U.S. attaches to this initiative, we ask that Posts' Ambassador or Charge should approach appropriate high-level counter-parts in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs prior to the December 2-3 NATO Foreign Ministerial and draw from the following points: -- Afghanistan remains NATO's number ONE priority and supporting and sustaining the expansion of the ANA remains the number ONE priority for the NATO Foreign Ministerial on Afghanistan. -- Ensuring that Afghanistan ultimately is able to take on the responsibility for its own national security is critical to achieving long-term success. However, Afghanistan will clearly not be able to train, equip, mentor, and finance its expanding Army without significant assistance from the international community. -- NATO has a key role to play in supporting an expanded ANA, and at the December 2-3 NATO Foreign Ministerial, Allied Ministers should address how the Alliance can best support the long-term development of the ANA. -- First, we strongly urge Allied Foreign Ministers to endorse broadening the mandate of the existing NATO ANA Trust Fund to include supporting sustainment costs. This is important for NATO and non-NATO countries alike to be able to contribute to sustaining the ANA. -- Incorporating sustainment into NATO's current ANA Trust Fund would not imply Allies are assuming the total responsibility for funding the sustainment of ANA expansion. --The Trust Fund provides the bank account for Allies as well as non-NATO nations, large and small, to make donations that when added to together make a meaningful contribution to a critical NATO effort as well as provide an important display of Allied solidarity. -- Contribution to the trust fund is and will continue to be a voluntary national choice. Broadening the current ANA Trust Fund allows other nations, Allies and Partners, to contribute to this critical NATO task. Some non-NATO nations are considering substantial contributions to ANA sustainment, but cannot do so without this mechanism. It benefits the Alliance to make the Trust Fund available to these nations. -- While we understand some Allies desire to prioritize requirements, we strongly believe prioritization of sustainment costs may undermine a nation's freedom to choose how its own contribution is spent. CSTC-A has provided a list of the categories of sustainment costs, which are all equally important. -- The United States will continue to take the lead in training and equipping the Afghan National Security Forces, including the Afghan National Army's expansion to 134,000. -- Second, we also urge wherever possible, for Allied Ministers to offer expressions of financial support towards sustaining the expansion of the ANA. We understand that nations may not be able to make concrete pledges, but we believe it is critical that Allies at least make clear that contributions are under consideration in Capitals. -- For LONDON: Reiterate our request for the United Kingdom to contribute $100 million per year 2010-2014 and to assist with efforts to encourage other Allies and partners to contribute. -- For PARIS: Reiterate our request for France to contribute $100 million per year 2010-2014. -- For OTTAWA: Reiterate our request for Canada to contribute $100 million per year 2010-2014. -- For ROME: Reiterate our request for the Italy to contribute $100 million per year 2010-2014. -- For BERLIN: Reiterate our request for Germany to contribute $100 million per year 2010-2014. -- For MADRID: Reiterate our request for Spain to contribute $50 million per year 2010-2014. -- For OSLO: Reiterate our request Norway to contribute $35 million per year 2010-2014. -- For COPENHAGEN: Reiterate our request for Denmark to contribute $25 million per year 2010-2014. -- For BRUSSELS: Reiterate our request for Belgium to contribute $10 million per year 2010-2014. -- For LUXEMBOURG: Reiterate our request for Luxembourg to contribute $4 million per year 2010-2014. -- For BERLIN, PARIS, and BRUSSELS (if raised for others): While we encourage all Allies to contribute to the fund in the interest of solidarity, we understand you contribute significant numbers of troops, trainers, and enablers and have recently increased these top-priority contributions. We recognize and appreciate the resources and hardship that come with these commitments. -- For BERLIN, PARIS, and BRUSSELS (if raised for others): If the scope of the Trust Fund is expanded, we will especially be looking to nations who cannot contribute as many troops or trainers to contribute larger monetary contributions. Still, we hope you will consider donating to support the effort to sustain the ANA. At the least, we urge you to enable other Allies and non-NATO contributors to donate by supporting the expansion of the scope of the ANA NATO trust fund. -- (If Asked) An expanded ANA will require an increase in Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams that ISAF contributes. However, the US has consistently requested 103 non-US OMLT's to help shoulder the training requirement. This has not changed and we are encouraged by nation's consideration of resourcing this requirement. -- (If Asked) The Afghan National Police (ANP) will also continue to need considerable international support as well. We will continue to expand the Focused District Development program to train and mentor the ANP, as well as focus on reform before expansion. -- (If Asked) Commanders in Afghanistan have recommended an acceleration of ANA expansion to put more boots on the ground and implement an effective counter-insurgency strategy. These figures include acceleration of ANA forces into FY09 and FY10. ¶4. (SBU) Post can leave as a non-paper the following breakdown and description of expenses associated with sustaining an expanded ANA. The non-paper was drawn from a letter sent by Major General Cone, Commander of Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan, to Allies at NATO on November 21. (Washington will also email the attached documents to Posts): -------------- Afghan National Army (ANA) Sustainment (does not include investment costs to support the initial building, equipping and infrastructure for the 122k ANA) The ANA sustainment program supports the ANA by providing salaries, food, clothing, individual equipment, rental equipment, replacement, and operational sustainment services as outlined in the categories below. This is based on an accelerated growth of the ANA to be completed by the first quarter FY12 (pre-decisional). ($ in thousands) ANA Sustainment FY09 FY10 Total Combat Forces 188,126 622,348 810,474 Comm & Intel 49,953 63,591 113,544 Vehicles & Trans 74,577 211,537 286,114 Logistics 548,680 755,074 1,303,754 Personnel 87,869 133,054 220,923 Medical 9,226 22,900 32,126 Air Corps 49,494 165,211 214,705 EOD Kits n/a 1,000 1,000 Other Projects 108,900 22,810 131,710 Total 1,116,825 1,997,525 3,114,350 Afghan Contrib FY09 FY10 Total Wages/Food 220,003 258,158 478,161 Goods and Services 12,437 14,925 27,362 Infrastructure 1,360 1,632 2,992 Total 233, 800 274,715 508,515 Combat Forces: Funding will pay to arm the 80k ANA and projected growth to 122k, and takes price increases into account. This includes fully turning over to the ANA U.S. weapons using NATO Standard ammunition, including M4, M16A2, M249 SAW, M240B, and M24 Sniper Rifle. This also includes other ammunition items such as grenades, flares, and explosives for engineers. Comm & Intel: These funds will provide for necessary sustainment of secure communications such as secure cell phones, secure wirelines terminals, and radio handsets. This project also provides for replacement equipment to sustain communication operations, radio and communications system maintenance support, operating costs such as leased long-haul satellite and microwave circuits, and automation consumables. Vehicles & Trans: Maintenance training is embedded in the vehicle maintenance contract and will provide the ANA with the organic capability to provide Organizational, Intermediate, and Depot-level maintenance of the ANA's fleet of vehicles. Logistics: These funds address the handling and distribution of material requirements vital to daily operations of the depots, warehouses and other storage facilities. Funds also include a 20% sustainment container replacement, automated inventory control mechanisms and security labor to augment the ANA staff. Furthermore, it will pay for the relocation of 27 ANA Kandaks and provides for ground and aviation fuel, consumption of which is growing with the size of the vehicle fleet. Personnel: The ANA Pay Reimbursement supports raises and incentive pays for the ANA soldiers to include an across the board $20 pay raise. The ANA ID Card and Database program is providing the ANA with standardized secure ID Cards as well as eliminating the outdated paper system for an automated files database. Medical: Successfully sustaining the ANA healthcare system hinges on key medical sustainment services for laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, ultrasound, orthopedic, surgical, internal medicine, and automated data processing. Over the next 24-months several key sub-systems are scheduled for activation: Disaster Preparedness, Medical Regulating, Operational Medicine, and Medical Informatics. The funding requirement is based on expected care costs for 480,000 beneficiaries with a per person care rate of $48. Air Corps: Includes ambulances, generators for back up power, x-ray machines, and EVAC equipment sets. Supports network expansion to provide non-secure voice (land line, land mobile radios) and computer communications at multiple Air Corps locations in support of growing facility infrastructure. Items to support aircraft operations including aircraft maintenance, backshop test benches for aircraft/personal support gear and office equipment. EOD Kits: The ANSF will be acquiring new skill set of qualified ANA EOD personnel. They will receive modern and new team equipment necessary to operate and run their teams. Other Projects: The other sustainment project provides for the continued support of safe-houses leases, local CSTC-A operating funds, physical security equipment, temporary duty (TDY),and technical assistance contracts. Also includes minor construction and repair. Afghanistan Contributions: Wages/Food: Includes salaries of officers, soldiers, overtime, deployment pay, bonuses, severance pay, death gratuity, and food allowance. Also includes food cost and MoD/GS Contractors' salaries. Goods/Services: Includes domestic and foreign travel pay, communications, advertisements, postal, rental transportation, vehicle repairs, construction equipment and repair, media equipment and repair, agricultural equipment repair, medicine and medical equipment repair, raw materials for workshops (consumables),power bills, gas, fuel, office supplies, uniforms, and more. Infrastructure: Includes minor building construction and repair, vehicles, communications equipment, media equipment, military equipment, and land purchasing. -------------- End Text RICE